If there is a referendum on whether the UK should leave the EU, then surely the British living in Europe should be able to vote?

A Letter of Petition (see below) to the European Parliament has , therefore, been initiated by the British Community Committee (BCC) of France (www.britishinfrance.com), the UK’s eighth-largest expat community and the second- largest (after Spain) in a non-English speaking host country. The BCC has also provided the campaigning website www.votes-for-expat-brits.com which challenges the current 15-year-limit on our voting rights, as a public service to all British expats worldwide.

“As Chairman of the British Community Committee of France, a “not for profit” association registered in France under the French law of 1 July 1901, whose membership comprises the voluntary associations in France organised by and for the benefit of the British Community in France, I am instructed by a resolution passed unanimously at the Committee’s quarterly meeting held on 29th January 2013, to petition the European Parliament as follows :

That all citizens of the European Union residing in the European Union but in a different Member State from that of their nationality, should have the right under European Union Law to vote in any referendum organized in the Member State of which they are nationals, concerning that Member State continuing or discontinuing its membership of the European Union or changing the terms of continuing membership, regardless of the period of residence of such citizens outside their Member State of origin, in view of the impact of the decision in question on their personal lives. “

The current 15-year-limit on the right to vote of British citizens resident abroad is the issue. If you agree that this is undemocratic for British citizens resident in the European Union (EU) in the case of a specific referendum on whether the UK should leave, we would appreciate you showing your support by adding your vote here in our on-line poll.

4 Responses to Voting Rights Petition to European Parliament

Why limit the scope to EU citizens CURRENTLY LIVING WITHIN THE EU? Surely the issue affects ALL EU citizens (of course, particularly the British, the Danes, the Irish, the Maltese, the Cypriots and any I may have forgotten, who have lost the right to vote through being abroad) WHEREVER they live in the World – especially as many may in the future wish to return to the EU but not necessarily to(one of) their own member state(s).
Is it too late to broaden the scope?

You’ve made a good point and I will check for the reaction to your comment with the originators of the petition letter and whether it’s still possible to broaden the scope as you suggest.
Administrator

I’ve now had the opportunity to review your comment in more detail with those concerned.
The letter in question to the European parliament was sent in its original form. This limited the scope to EU citizens currently living within the EU, as agreed at the quarterly meeting of the member associations of the British Community Committee in France. It was considered that the letter would have more impact if it first concentrated on resident EU citizens directly impacted within the EU and, therefore, of immediate concern to the European Parliament. The secondary issue of the indirect impact on EU citizens currently resident outside the EU can also be introduced, should we receive an encouraging response to our letter.
Administrator